"Nada Alliance" condemns genocide against women, calls for accountability

The "Nada Alliance” issued a written statement today regarding the genocidal attacks targeting women in Şengal, Sudan, and Afghanistan. The statement read:

"Ten years have passed since ISIS, a product of global hegemonic powers, attacked Mount Şengal (Sinjar) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, targeting the peaceful and culturally rich Yazidi people with deep historical roots in this ancient mountain. This blatant attack by ISIS on Şengal aimed at destroying human values and one of the ancient civilizations in the region, with the intent of annihilating the Yazidi people by breaking the will of Yazidi women and exterminating them. This was done physically through their killing and abuse, as well as psychologically and culturally through their displacement, abduction, enslavement, and sale in slave markets, forced Islamization of them and their children, and the recruitment of their children as 'cubs of the caliphate' after brainwashing them. The suffering of this people remains a global wound and a stain on humanity, due to the lack of recognition by many states and concerned institutions that what happened in Şengal is a genocide, and the failure to acknowledge that it is also a systematic genocide against Yazidi women.”

The Yazidi people have drawn significant lessons from all the persecutions they have endured throughout history, particularly from the ISIS attacks and those who supported or facilitated them. We especially highlight the Yazidi women who, by rolling up their sleeves, established Self-Defense Forces to protect themselves, their homeland, their culture, and their civilization. They created their own women’s organizations and systems under the Autonomous Administration of Şengal, contributing alongside Yazidi men to prevent any possibility of further genocide. This is how Yazidi women have sought revenge against all these persecutions and ISIS, and their organized and conscious struggle continues until every kidnapped Yazidi girl and woman is freed, and the fate of those missing is known. They recognize that this is the only way to ensure their achievements and secure peace and security in Şengal and throughout Iraq.

We are also approaching the ominous third anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, which marked the beginning of their rule after the Doha Agreement, initiating a new, tragic era for the Afghan people in general and Afghan women in particular. Due to the Taliban's extreme religious policies imposed on them, Afghan women have faced increased suffering, deprived of their basic rights and freedoms, and subjected to restrictive fatwas confining them to their homes. This is in addition to cases of assassination, murder, kidnapping, and mutilation, among other gross violations. In response, Afghan women have learned great lessons from the women’s revolution in Rojava and NE Syria, as well as from the resistance of Yazidi women on Mount Şengal, and have begun to defend themselves and their homeland against oppression and repression. Their resilient struggle continues.

In general, we can say that all women in the Middle East and North Africa suffer greatly due to the Third World War and its catastrophic repercussions in various forms and fields, from Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan, and Iran to Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, and Western Sahara. Sexual exploitation and violence have become tools of war against women in conflict zones, in addition to unemployment, displacement, migration or forced eviction, and deprivation of education and healthcare rights. Extreme poverty, hunger, thirst, forced marriage, and child marriage are also prevalent.

We particularly highlight the tragedy of the Sudanese people and Sudanese women, who suffer tremendously due to internal conflicts and external interventions. Sexual violence, assault, collective rape, and enslavement have become integral parts of the policy of oppression and revenge against Sudanese women, who sparked the Kanakdian Revolution. This is in addition to the other aforementioned impacts of wars and internal strife on them.

We must also condemn the blatant attacks on the Palestinian people and Palestinian women, as well as the death sentences issued against Kurdish activists in Iran, particularly against activists Sharifa Mohammadi and Bakhshan Azizi. We emphasize that all of this occurs in the presence of international countries, organizations, and institutions, which remain inactive despite their proclaimed commitment to human and women’s rights. This is the clearest evidence of the hypocrisy and double standards in adhering to the humanitarian standards outlined in various international agreements and treaties, and in implementing or holding accountable those who violate them.

Therefore, on behalf of the "Nada Alliance”, we condemn the systematic genocide against all women in the region, as evidenced by the genocide inflicted on Yazidi, Afghan, Sudanese, and Palestinian women. We reiterate our solidarity, support, and backing for the struggle and resistance of Yazidi, Afghan, Sudanese, Palestinian, and all free women in the region and worldwide. We call on relevant international bodies and institutions to break their silence and take immediate action to stop these severe violations against women. We urge them to hold accountable the governments and entities responsible for these human rights violations, which amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, and reach the level of systematic genocide against them. We also call for the recognition of the systematic genocide against women in general, and Yazidi women in particular, and for pressuring relevant authorities to halt the death sentences issued against activists in Iran.”

 A-H

ANHA